Nordine Taleb vs. Li Jingliang
The fight was Nordine Taleb's UFC welterweight divisional debut. The Fight The first round began. Taleb landed a stiff jab and a leg kick. Liang landed a good right and another, well flailing and wild but still. Liang landed a leg kick and ate a high kick. Liang landed a leg kick. Taleb landed a leg kick. Liang landed an inside kick. 4:00. Taleb landed a jab. Liang landed a leg kick. Liang landed a leg kick and ate a counter right. Taleb landed a jab. Taleb landed another. And a counter right. Taleb's nose is cut from something. 3:00. Li landed a right hand. Taleb landed a jab and a right off an inside kick attempt. Li missed a spinning back fist. Li landed a right, nice takedown from Li but Taleb stood and broke. 2:00. Taleb landed a counter right. Li landed a jab and ate a leg kick. Taleb landed a jab. 1:00. Li landed a leg kick. Taleb landed a left and a jab. Taleb stuffed a double. Li's left eye is looking bad, he ate a left and another. Taleb got a power double to guard. R1 ends, 10-9 Taleb. R2 began. Li landed a leg kick. And another. Taleb landed a jab. Taleb landed a right. And a jab. 4:00. Li landed a right and a left. Li landed a leg kick. Taleb landed an inside kick. 3:00 remaining. Boos. Li adding feints. He landed a right. Taleb landed a right. Li landed a right himself. 2:00. Taleb landed a left. He tried a double, Li defended. Taleb got it to half-guard nicely. Guard. Taleb's left leg is welted up. 1:00 as Taleb passed to side control. Landed a right as they stood and broke. Taleb stuffed a double, landed a few right uppercuts, kneed the body, Li got the back with 35 and slammed Taleb down, had the back standing. Very close round so far. He slammed Taleb again. Kept the back, 15. Had the back standing. Dumped Taleb again there, R2 ends, 10-9 Li but close as Taleb stands. Both of their left eyes are closing, Li's especially. R3 began. Li landed a right. And a jab. Taleb replied. And another. Boos. Li landed an inside kick. 4:00. Taleb landed a counter left. Li landed a jab. And an inside kick. And another one there. And a jab. 3:00. Taleb landed a jab. Taleb landed an inside kick. Hmm. Li landed a jab and ate a left and a jab. Li landed a jab. 2:00 as Taleb replied. Li nearly had a double, he got it, Taleb standing, landed two rights under. Taleb got the standing back, worked a double, Li hitting a switch. Or the Iranian, whatever it's called, sprawling now too. Li's face is bleeding badly out of the left eye, completed the double to guard. 1:00. In his corner too. Taleb's blood all over Li's chest. Li's left eye is almost completely swollen closed. 15. Hmm. Taleb's doing nothing. He landed a left elbow actually. R3 ends, 10-9 Li IMO, probably scored for Taleb though. 29-28 Li IMO, probably 29-28 Taleb for reasons I've outlined. 29-28 split for.. Taleb, no surprise there.